P Randy Messenger and OF Matt Murton are close to accepting contract extensions to remain with the Hanshin Tigers of the Japanese League, according to a team source. Both players had been rumored to be considering returns to the United States to resume their careers in the major leagues.

Japanese League RP Randy Messenger, who spent the last three seasons with the Hanshin Tigers, is interested in a return to the big leagues and has set a Nov. 15 deadline for interested MLB teams to field offers to him. Messenger has a two-year offer worth $10 million from Hanshin on the table.